The forgotten valley that all nature romantics dream about

Here golden eagles look down on desolate expanses of virgin pine forests, lush spruce forests, talus slopes, rushing waters and glittering tarns. It’s not surprising that the countryside is so untouched. The nearest road is far away and outside the walking trail, rocks make access almost impossible.

But the national park contains more than rocks. Along the river Töfsingån the forest is lush, including spruce with a circumference of several metres. The flora is particularly herb-rich near the largest waterfall. Here you’ll find ostrich fern, whorled Solomon’s seal, mezereon and one of the great rarities of the Dala mountains – the beautiful white large buttercup.

The fact that Töfsingdalen is inaccessible makes it all the more popular among shy animals such as brown bear, wolverine and golden eagle.

There are many 500-year-old pines, and the forest is silver-grey with all the trees that have died of old age. The dead trees are vital for a wide range of fungi, animals and plants. Töfsingdalen is home to many rare species, for example the bright yellow-green wolf lichen. When you are here, it’s difficult to believe that wolf lichen is a rare plant in Scandinavia.